Doctor Who - The 8th Doctor - 14 - Vanderdeken

by Christopher Bulis (pdf)

holebegantoappearinthetoughenedmetalandceramiccomposite.

  'They've lost control of manoeuvring and main drive,' Manders said,

  droppingherwristcomfromherear.Shegrabbedatoolboxfromalocker,pulled

  apowertoolfromitandbeganattackingtherecessedboltssecuringafloorplate beside the wall of the control room. 'I'm going to cut the circuit directly,' she shoutedoverhershoulder.

  Samstaggeredastheshipyawedsuddenly,buttriedtokeepthenormaliser

  focused on the ghost. She realised her fear of it had muted, and not simply becauseshehadsomethingwithwhichshecouldfightback.

  Thisparticularcreaturehadactedwithpurpose,notlikesomemindlessbeast

  fromanightmare.Wheretherewaspurposetherewasalsoreasonandhope-at

  leastsotheDoctoroftensaid.

  An engineer who'd been standing clear of the noise of the Doctor's

  screwdrivertolistentohiswristcomshouted,'Captainsayswe'reheadingforthe alienship!'

  'Naturally,' the Doctor replied grimly. The hole he was cutting was half completed.

  Manderstoreoffthefloorpanel,revealingthickbundlesofcablingrunning

  beneath it. She selected a pair of insulated cutters, reached down and

  snipped.The drone of the thruster units faded away one by one. The ship steadied.Thethickwedgeofblast-doormaterialtheDoctorhadcutawayaround

  thelockfelltothefloor.Hehauledtheslidingdooropenandtheyconfrontedthe ghost.

  'Now keep it solid, Sam, so that it can't slip away through the wall: The creature tried to pass them but the Doctor drove it back with a burst of sonic power, penning it in the room. Sam heard its guttural snarls and hisses, even thoughshecouldseenomouththatcouldhaveissuedthem.

  The flickering sequence of shapes and colours the thing ran through made hereyeswater.Shecouldnotfocusononebeforeitwasgone.Butshesteeled

  herselfnottolookaway.Itwasnotasupernaturalentitybutarealcreature,she kepttellingherself.Itmusthaveitslimits.Thethingwasbobbingandweaving

  from side to side. Mismatched limbs kept reaching out towards them, then shrinkingback.

  'We'vegotitfrightened!'sheexclaimed.

  'Wewantitco-operative,notfrightened,'theDoctorsaid.'Ifthere'sachance

  tomakecontactwemusttakeit.Reducethepowerslightly.'

  Asshedidso,hemadeadeliberateshowofputtinghissonicscrewdriverin

  hispocket.Thenhebegantomakecarefulexaggeratedgestureswithhishands,

  invitingthethingtocalmdown,pointingathimselfandthenit.Thenhetouched

  hismouth.

  'If you communicate with sound-based language, please do so,' he said. 'I willunderstandyou.'

  Whether his words or gestures registered Sam was not sure. But the flickeringofbodyshapesbecamelessfrenzied.Shehadtheimpressionthething

  wasdescendingfromsomeviolentpeakofagitationintorelativecalm.

  Then came a distant clatter of boots on the stairs. Bendix was pounding downthemfollowedbytwocrewmencarryingrifles.

  'Stayback!'theDoctorshouted.Butitwastoolate.

  The thing flared into its former rage. Knobbly limbs lashed out, knocking thembackfromthedoorway.ThenormaliserwasdashedfromSam'shandsas

  shehitthedeck.Therewasashockofcoldasitsurgedpastthem.

  Bolts of gunfire struck the creature. It reared up, swelling with flickering innerfireuntilitsheadbrushedtheceiling.Aterriblebellowrenttheair.Fora momentSamsawblazingredeyesandareptilianjawfullofdagger-liketeeth.

  Thenitfellforwardontoitsattackers.Onecrewmanwasdashedasideagainsta

  stanchion, the second snapped up into those terrible jaws, even as Bendix kept uphisfusilladeoffutilegunfire.

  TheDoctorhaddrawnhissonicscrewdriveroncemoreanditsshrillnotecut

  through the creature's howls. Sam scrabbled over to the normaliser, swung it roundandpressedthetrigger.ThecreaturerearedbackfromBendix,theenergy

  boltsburningitsfleshforthefirsttime.

  'Manders-where'sthenearestexternalbulkhead?'theDoctorshouted.

  'Behindyouandleft!'

  'Sam,we'vegottodriveitthatway.Getaroundit!Bendix,youcan'tkillit.

  Wemustforceitoutintospace.'

  Manderspickeduponeofthefallencrewmen'sgunsandaddeditsfiretothat

  of Bendix. Slowly they drove the monstrous being towards the bulkhead that separatedthecompartmentfromopenspaceuntilithaditsbacktothecurving

  metalwall,snappingatthemlikeacornereddog.

  'ChangenormaliserpolaritywhenIsayso,Sam,'theDoctorsaid.'Readythe

  restofyou...heavyfire,knockitover...now!'

  Ablazeofgunfiretoppleditbackwards.Samswitchedthenormaliserover.

  Thethingbecameapalephantom.TheDoctoradjustedhissonicscrewdriver

  toemitonelastpulseofbrilliantlight.Theghostfellthroughthesolidhulland wasgone.

  Theechoesdiedaway.Samfoundthesuddensilencealmostdeafening.The

  DoctorturnedanangryfacetoBendix.

  'That was an ill-timed and quite unnecessary intervention. I believe I was abouttomakesomekindofcontactwithit!'

  'Withthatthing!'Bendixshotbackathim.

  'Atleastit'sdeadnow,'Manderssaid.

  'Oh,Idoubtthat,'theDoctorsaid.'It'snotaliveenoughinthisuniversefor simpleexposuretovacuumtokillit.'

  'All right, Doctor,' Bendix conceded.'But at least it's gone.' He tapped his wristcom:'Captain.Theintruderhasbeen...dealtwith.'

  They all heard Lanchard's brittle reply. 'It may be too late. We're on a collisioncoursewiththealienship.Ifyoucan'trestorecontrolweshallhititin sixminutes!'

  Chapter20

  Exit

  The realisation that Squadleader Sho had been seriously unhinged by his

  encounter with the ghosts grew within Lyset Wynter as they made their way alongthealienship'sseeminglyendlesscorridors.Butratherthanfear,shefound theknowledgekindledasmallsparkofsympathywithinher,andshewondered

  ifhehadtakenherprisonermoreforcompanythanmilitarynecessity.Shetook

  no satisfaction in having come though her recent experience relatively

  unscathed, while he had clearly suffered mental damage. He may have had it worse than she had. On the other hand it may have been the fault of his own nature.Histypewouldresistuntilthelast.

  Maybe it would have been better if he had simply passed out as she had done.Shehadbent,hehadbroken.

  Twice they hid down side corridors from ghosts, warned by the flickering lightsahead.Onlywhentheyweresurethewaywascleardidtheyscuttleforthe

  next intersection. Sho was very stealthy in his actions, scouting ahead and waving her on with curt gestures. She did not attempt to escape. She had no doubthewouldkillherashehadthreatened.Besidesshehadnobetterideaof

  whichwaytogo,andhedidprovideacertainmeasureofsecurity.Shecouldn't

  facethethoughtofwanderingalonedownhereeither.

  Butafterawhileshebegantoworry.Iftheyhadbeenheadedbacktowards

  the interface they should have reached it by now, even allowing for the possibility that the ghosts had taken her further away from it while she'd been unconscious than she had estimated.And she was using the corridor handrails mo
re often to steady herself as she leaned forward. The corridor seemed to be steepeningunderthem,thoughitremainedperfectlyleveltotheeye.Suddenly

  sheunderstoodwhatwashappening.

  'We'regoingthewrongway.'

  'Shutup,'Shohissed.

  'Ithoughtyouknewwhichwaytogo.You'reasturnedaroundasIam.'

  'Itoldyou-'

  'Look, why can't you admit making a simple mistake? You can feel where thecentreofgravityis.Wemustbegettingnearthefarendnow,notthemiddle.

  Allwe'vegottodoisturnround.'

  Showasbreathingheavily,hiseyesconstantlydartingfromsidetoside.

  Perhaps she should simply let him work it out for himself in his own time, shethought.

  Thenthelightsalongthecorridorbegantoflicker.

  Sho bundled her down a side turning and into a wall niche. He crouched downwithhisrifleheldattheready.Thereflectedflickeringoflightsgotcloser andsheheldherbreath.Sheheardafaintwhisperofmarchingfeet.

  Thelightsoppositetheirturningdimmed.

  Shecaughtaglimpseofthegroupasitwentby.Buttheywerenotlikethe

  otherghoststheyhadseen.

  Their forms were grey and translucent, but they were smaller and roughly humanoid. Moreover, they seemed to be dressed in bulky padding or armour.

  Shehadanimpressionofheavygauntletsandoversizedhelmets.

  They were also carrying long sticks or poles, together with some other

  unidentifiablebundlesoftwistedropesslungacrosstheirshoulders.Unlikethe

  othercreatures,thesebeingsmovedwithdeliberation.Onehelmetedheadturned

  to look down their side tunnel as though searching for something, making her jerkbackintotheshadows.

  Thenthelightsbrightenedagainandtheyweregone.

  Sho rose from his crouch and turned an accusing face to hers.'What were they,then?Theyweren'tliketheothers.Someofyourownguardslookingfor

  you?'

  'IkeeptellingyouIdon'tknow.Idon'tcare!Ijustwanttogetoutofhere.

  Listen.BeforeyoufoundmeIwasthinkingoffindinganexternalhatchand

  getting out on to the outer hull. We can get back to our shuttles from there, or maybesignalourships,andweshouldn'thavetokeepdodgingthesecreatures

  alongtheway.'

  Sho considered, clearly viewing any suggestion Lyset made with automatic

  suspicion.Buteventuallyhehadtoacknowledgethelogicoftheidea.'We'lltry

  it.Butifit'satrap-'

  'Oh,please,shutupabouttraps.Giveyourparanoiaarest.Let'sstartlooking

  for ramps or ladders.There must be some service hatches or something around here.'

  Theyfoundwhattheywerelookingfordownanothercrosscorridor.Oneof

  thealcovesinitswallswasdeeperandhigherthantheothers.Therewasasmall

  irised hatch built into the ceiling and recessed horizontal slots set into its back wall leading up to it, which were obviously intended to serve as the steps of a ladder.Shoclimbedthemcautiously.Thehatchhadasimplewheelsetbesideit,

  whichShoturned.Thehatchopened.Beyondwasasmallbarechamber.

  AsheexamineditLysetfeltasuddentremorrunthroughtheship'sstructure

  andadistinctrisingthrobofpower.SheswarmeduptheladderafterSho.'Ithink weshouldgetoutofherebeforesomethingelsehappens,'

  shesaidurgently.

  Shoclosedthehatch.Anotherladderledtoasecondhatchabovetheirheads.

  It looked like a similar sequence to the airlock system leading off the landing bay.Lysetclosedthefaceplateofhersuitandfeltitpressurise.

  Sho opened the upper hatch leading to the second chamber. She expected

  anotherkeypadlock,buttherewasnone.Thethirdhatchopenedontothehull.

  Theyemergedinthenarrowchannelbetweentwomassivepipes.

  Towering over the end of the channel was a rising series of curving walls, encrustedwithpipesandconduitsandcrownedbyagreatspire.Itwasoneofthe

  ringstructuresthatsurroundedtheendsoftheship'smainhull.They'dtravelled

  asfarastheycouldgo.

  ThenLysetfrowned.

  'Wait a moment. If we've gone the wrong way, this should be the fuzzy translucentendoftheship.'Therewasonlystaticonherradio.Shetouchedher

  helmettoSho'sandrepeatedthequestion.

  'Whatofit?'hegrowledback.

  'Well,whydoesitlookperfectlysolid?'

  The puzzling irregularity must have penetrated even Sho's narrow mind. A fewmetresawaywasasupportbracketforthepipes.Heclimbeditandstoodon

  theuppercurveofthepipe.Lysetfollowedandlookedaboutthem.'Oh,Gods!'

  sheexclaimedsoftly.

  Chapter21

  FromaWellofStars

  'This is the Captain speaking. Prepare to abandon ship.This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill. Make your way quickly but calmly to the nearest lifeboatstations.Membersofthecrewwillbetheretoguideyou.Donotstopto

  collectanypersonalbelongings...'

  ***

  The Cirrandaria's Young Adventurers room was a confused mass of

  screamingchildren,costumedentertainerstryingtousherthemthroughtheexits

  andparents,frantictofindtheiroffspring,fightingtheirwayinagainsttheflow.

  WithagaspofreliefJeniEngerspushedforwardandclaspedDanjunior'shand

  sohardthatheprotested.'Mummy-you'rehurtingme!'

  Hewasnotafraid,sherealised.Itwasallpartoftheentertainmenttohim.

  Shefoughttokeepherownvoicesteady.'Nowwemustgotothelifeboats,'

  shetoldhim.

  'WillDaddybethereliketheCaptainsaid?'

  'Yes,he'llbethere.'

  ***

  Despite the injunction, Rhonda had insisted they stop to collect her handbag.

  WithanuncomfortableinsightLesterrealisedshewassousedtocontrollingand

  arranginglifetosuitherselfthatsheactedasthoughnodisastercouldpossibly overtaketheshipuntilshewassafe.Nowshewaschidingotherstomovemore

  quicklyandberatingthosewhowerecarryinganyextraneouspersonalitems.

  As they moved with the flowing tide of confused and frightened fellow

  passengers, Lester scanned their faces in the hope of seeing Ingrid. He had discovered that her cabin was only two corridors away on the same deck as theirs, and thought she might be making for the same lifeboat station. He couldn't see her, but comforted himself with the thought that somebody as practicalandlevel-headedasshewaswouldnotletherselfgetleftbehind.

  ***

  IngridSchollanderpulledandtwistedthehandleofhercabindoor,butitrefused

  toopen.Itwasjammedorlocked-butwhowouldwanttolockherinatatime like this? She pounded on the door but if anybody heard her over the general commotion they did not respond, and the door was much too strong for her to breakdown.

  For a moment she leaned against it, sobbing with fear and anger. Then she remembered the cabin phone. She scrambled across the bed and punched the emergency call button on the unit built into the headboard. Nothing happened.

  The operating light remained dark. She pressed the button frantically and slappedherpalmagainstthespeaker.Somethingrattledominouslyinsideit,but

  theunitremainedquitedead.

  ***


  DelrayheardEvanArcovianbangingonhisdooroverthesoundofrunningfeet

  andraisedvoices.

  'All right, I'm just coming, Evan,' he called out automatically.'You go

  on.Takecareofyourself.'

  Buthedidn'tmakeanyefforttoleavehiscompartment.Iftheshipwaslost

  thensowasanyhopeofrescuingLyset.Inwhichcasetherewasnopointinhis

  living.Whynotjustsithereandletithappen?

  Theunseenshufflingcontinuedmovingabouttheroomandagainsomething

  softbrushedhisankles,butheignoredit.

  Then a faint voice seemed to whisper in his ear, 'Taking the coward's way outagain?'

  ***

  Rextonarrived,panting,onthebridge.Hisclotheslookedcrumpled,asthough

  hehadsleptinthem.Evenhehadneededresttorecoverfromhisencounteron

  thealienship,Lanchardnotedabsently.Heshouldhavebeenmakinghiswayto

  a lifeboat like the rest but clearly he didn't classify himself as an ordinary passenger.Hetookinthereadingsonthedisplaysandtheswellingimageofthe

  alienshipwithprofessionalcomposure.

  'How long until we hit, if we can't get the engines on line?' 'Less than five minutes now,' Lanchard said crisply. 'You can't evacuate the entire ship in that time.'

  'I know - but there's no other choice. With the gravity field that thing generatesacceleratinguswe'llbesmashedtopiecesforcertain.'

  Whichmeantshewoulddie.Heknewaswellasshedidthat,byancientand

  well-founded tradition, until everybody had been safely evacuated a captain couldnotleavehership.

  'There's one other thing I can do,' she said, opening the general distress channel.'ThisistheSCCirrandaria.Ourmaindrivehasbeensabotagedandwe

  are out of control and on a collision course with another vessel. We are preparing to evacuate the ship. Any craft receiving this message please give immediateassistance.'

  Ofcoursetheybothknewtheonlyshipthatcouldpossiblyrespondintime